Financial Freedom means having zero tie-ins to anything financial. It includes your income, debt and expenses, lifestyle. It is of little matter how people perceive the meaning differently. Rather, it is more crucial to understand how to act based on your financial situation.

Loan FreeBeing debt-free should not be confused with being financially well off. If you are only debt free, you still have to work in order to pay for your basic expenses and taxes. In order to achieve financial freedom, the first thing we have to ask ourselves is what does it take to be debt free?

Income & Expenses

Assume you purchased a car without any loans required, it does not imply you are financially debt free.

There are other factors to take account of like servicing & other maintenance costs, fuel costs, repairs etc. Moreover, this is just a car. Think of other factors also. Your expenses must be well managed to achieve this goal.

If expense is greater than income, you are far from being free from anything.

Financial Assets

Financial assets are financial tools that will generate annual cash flow for you. These assets can be pension, shares, bonds and mutual funds. You can get dividends fromshares, receive regular payments from your bonds or mutual funds.

Boris Becker had it all — six grand-slam tennis titles, models hanging off his arm and luxury houses all over the world.

At the height of his career, the German ace had amassed a reported $63 million in prize money and sponsorships, but now the man once known as “Boom Boom” for his ferocious serve has gone from boom boom to bust.

Now 49, Becker was declared bankrupt by a British court, capping a fall-from-grace story that saw the one-time wild child go from Wimbledon champ to walking headline by blowing through money, women and business ventures in retirement.

His lawyer pleaded for more time and “one more chance” to make good on debts he has racked up in retirement.

But the judge said, regretfully, the man she had once watched dominating center court has already had plenty of chances.

“One has the impression of a man with his head in the sand,” Registrar Christine Derrett said.

The above news of Boris Becker, Six times grand slam winner and one of the most successful tennis player, becoming bankrupt sends one of the most powerful message to all the youngsters of today.

“Success is never permanent . Plan well when the sun is shining coz failing to plan is planning to fail. “

Financial management is most crucial lesson one should learn in these uncertain times.

Today, every single product is positioned as need based solution. Can you deny the need to save for child’s education, self retirement, safeguard family’s health & build wealth in long term? It is difficult to see the advantages of any investment when approached by a good salesman.

The world has evolved to a global state & so do any company or salesman. I would rather term them all as HAWKERS. They position the product so well that customers fall for sales pitch & buy it.

Game plan of HAWKERS: IF you have child, you require Child Plan. If you have family, you must have medical insurance. You also need Retirement Plan.

Result: You buy costly child Ulips & guaranteed plans, complex medical policies, inflexible pension plans. They push you to diversify across Stocks, gold, property, bonds, bank FD, PPF & other complex options. If you can’t afford a new home, bigger car, or foreign holiday, they will get you to leverage on future income.

You take a home loan, a car loan, a personal loan & you also collect few credit cards in bargain. This is sure shot recipe for financial worries. Use the magic word to safeguard your finances against such perils, make you rich & protect you from friends offering free advice, wealth managers, money quacks, banks, insurance companies, bank relationship managers, insurance agents who are trying to sell you something or other.

Magic word: No, Nahi, Nako, Na, Venda, Nahim, Illa, Illai.

‘NO’ is a very powerful word. Use it ruthlessly. Say ‘NO’ to the relative who wants to sell you an endowment insurance policy. Turn down bank executive who is pushing a pension plan. Refuse the offer of free add-on card from Credit Card Company. Don’t agree to buy child plan that costs a bomb.